Eleanor, Lucy and Benjamin
by Fredrikness
Summary: Crappy name, I know, but I thought it would be appropriaate, concidering the fact that it's about Eleanor, Lucy and Benjamin. And reveiw, please, because I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not to keep it as a oneshot, or make it more.


I don't own Sweeney Todd, either. Damn, I wish I owned Johnny Depp. If Vanessa reads this, then I won't actualy try to take him, I swear!

This is pure awesomeness. Sorry, but as I'm not usually up myself, I am taking this as my only chance. I am going in with only some idea of what things were back then. One, I don't know if they had girlfriends/boyfriends back then, so spare me if they didn't. Two, they talked different, but I don't know how, so please get over it.

Oh, and I'm not sure if this is a oneshot or if I should make it longer, so please review and tell me what you think I should choose.

* * *

"Well, if it isn't Elle Lovett."

Lucy smiled, rushing over to grab her old friend into a tight hug. "It feels like it has been forever," she breathed, closing her eyes and resting her blonde haired head on Elle's shoulder.

Eleanor smiled. "I have missed you as well, Lucinda." She patted Lucy on the back, grinning.

Lucy pulled away, glaring at Eleanor. "You know I hate my full name." Then she pulled her friend to her once again.

Benjamin laughed, brushing his black hair out of his eyes. "It's been a while, Eleanor."

Eleanor laughed gaily. "Benjamin Barker, you can call me Elle."

Benjamin bent low in a mock bow. "Your wishes are at my every whim, milady."

Lucy giggled, going back over to Benjamin and looking at him lovingly when he put his arms around her waist. "You have been gone for so long. How was your trip to the festival?"

Eleanor's brown eyes glowed as she started off in a little rant. "Well," she said, pulling her purse out of her front pocket. "When I was there, I was looking for cooking books, and came across this little novel. It was kind of dark, and it, well… appealed to me."

Benjamin laughed. "That sounds like you, Elle. What else? A meat cleaver? Pussycats in a pie?"

Eleanor blushed. "No, actually it's about a young boy who cuts hair for a living." Both she and Lucy looked at Benjamin then, who put his hands up in surrender, grinning.

"Anyway," continued Eleanor. "He loses his beautiful wife to a Judge, and then comes back and goes back into the barbering business. Except, well, he slits their throats and then this lady that has always been in love with him puts them into pies, making her once low business strive once again."

Lucy paled. "The wife isn't yellow haired is she?"

Eleanor nodded. "She had yellow hair and green eyes."

"Had?" Lucy gulped.

Eleanor looked away, blushing once again. She didn't want the first thing she said to her closest friend to be that she dies and her husband goes onto cutting pies with Eleanor.

Not that she had always loved Benjamin. They were just friends.

"I-I'm sure it is just all some spectacular coincidence," stammered Benjamin, before looking worriedly at the clock tower. "Oh," he gasped. "I have to go."

He quickly kissed Lucy's cheek before flashing a dazzling smile in Eleanor's direction, and then he was gone.

* * *

Eleanor was back in her shop. Although she was only 19, she had giant responsibilities – one of them doing as her father said, so she didn't get hurt.

It was one of those days that her father would come home drunk. "Gimme a kiss, gorgeous," he would slur. Eleanor sighed. She was used to this.

"Welcome home, Elle, I've missed you terribly, my darling daughter," the said girl mimicked angrily, whilst grabbing her father under the arms and dragging him into the back room, where she threw his semi-conscious form onto the bed, not even staying to check if he was okay.

It was around 2 in the morning, and Benjamin, for some reason, was walking down the stairs. "Oh," the boy said when he realised that he wasn't alone. "What are you still doing up?"

He sounded half asleep, and Eleanor laughed, loving the way he ran his hand through his ruffled hair, his shirtless torso tightened when his arms strained.

Eleanor cleared her thoughts, not wanting to seem improper. He had a girlfriend, for crying out loud! And they were to be engaged soon, too…

Eleanor sighed, running her hands through her neat, brown hair. It was straight, and she hated it. Oh, how she envied Lucy's natural curls. They were blonde and soft, not tough and plastery like Elle's was.

"Oh, I was just welcoming myself back home." Eleanor placed her hands on her hips and looked around. "This place is too bright. Perhaps I should tone it down. The candles are much more peaceful."

Benjamin laughed, still sounding slightly asleep. "I love it when you think. It makes you look so much more beautiful."

Eleanor froze, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Benjamin do the same. "I am so sorry," he apologized crustily. "That was completely out of order."

Elle turned, going to take out a freshly cooked cookie out of the oven. "'S okay," she mumbled.

"Well, I, ah, was going to buy some rum. I'll be going now."

"No!" exclaimed Eleanor. When Benjamin turned, curious, the younger girl strained to think about how she could get herself out of this. "I, ah, I mean… do you really want to go out half naked? And also, it is frightfully cold out there, love.

"Plus, I have plenty here if you want any." Eleanor grinned at how she had turned things around. She reached underneath the pastry slab. She produced a bottle of whisky. "Free of charge," she smiled, handing him the bottle.

Benjamin raised an eyebrow. "Is that your way of offering me to have a drink with you?"

Eleanor blushed, stammering on words that weren't even there yet. "No," she managed to say. "It was my way of giving you a free bottle of alcohol that you could take upstairs and share with Lucy."

Benjamin blushed also, looking down at the bottle in his hand. "Oh."

"Unless you _would_ like to have a drink with me?" Eleanor looked at the older man teasingly.

Benjamin grinned. "'D love to."

* * *

Lucy woke. "Benjamin?" she asked, feeling the covers around her. She sighed. He wasn't there. Again.

_Where does he go when he disappears? _Though Lucy, as she recalled all the times she had thought that thought. _He is only 19! He couldn't go anywhere of any importance!_

"Hm… Maybe he is with Elle. They are probably drinking. Maybe I shall join them for a bit."

Lucy put a coat, and then walked opened the door and walked down the stairs. Oh, how Lucy despised those stairs. They were so old, and at 4 in the morning Lucy was afraid she might slip.

Looking through the window, Lucy saw something she didn't want to see.

Eleanor was bending over to get another bottle or glass or something, and Benjamin was quite obviously gawking. Lucy would have loved to pass it off as being drunk, but Benjamin didn't look all that far from sober.

She could hear the voices through the thin glass if she leant close enough.

"I really do love that dress on you," Benjamin giggled.

"Why thankyou, love," Eleanor giggled back.

Benjamin sighed, resting his head on the table. "Do you really?"

Eleanor whipped up, confused. "Excuse me?" she asked quietly as she stumbled backwards. _Vertigo,_ thought Lucy.

"Do you really love me?" asked Benjamin whispered, and Lucy could hardly make it out, having to read his lips for an affirmation.

Eleanor looked him directly in the eyes. "Now, I don't know how much you've drunk, but that is highly inappropriate and Lucy still exists, remember?"

Lucy breathed a sigh of relief. "Thankyou, Elle," she whispered.

Benjamin sighed, lifting his head to rest in his hands. "Thankyou, Eleanor. I nearly lost myself there. I can't afford to lose her. What if I never got her back?"

Eleanor looked at him sadly. "Now, now, don't say that. That's fantasy talk."

Benjamin turned his head to rest his cheek in both his hands. "Really? She might leave me."

Eleanor sensed something was going on. "It is almost as if…" Eleanor trailed off quietly, thinking. Her eyes went wide. "Did she do anything? Say anything?"

Benjamin turned back into his hands, and his shoulders shook. Eleanor rushed over, dropping the glass on the floor beneath her feet, and took him into a firm grasp. "Now, now," she whispered, stroking his hair softly.

Benjamin shuddered, and Eleanor bit her lip. She thought she might cry. "Do you want to talk?" Eleanor asked softly.

Benjamin took so long to reply that Eleanor thought that he might not have heard her. "No," he said, his voice getting firmer. "But I think I shall. I can trust you, Elle."

Eleanor smiled, pulling Benjamin to rest with his head against the back of the chair. "That is splendid to hear, love."

Benjamin shook his head, his voice turning dark. "No," he said. "Not splendid."

Eleanor leaned back, scared. "Oh?" she mumbled weakly.

Benjamin looked away as he told his story. "It was a few weeks ago. I came back early from work, and I passed Turpin's house on the way to the markets. In the window, I saw… I saw…"

Eleanor gasped. "It was 'er, wasn't it?"

Benjamin nodded, collapsing back into Eleanor's arms. "Oh, Elle," he sobbed. "She is going to leave…"

Eleanor looked out the window, directly at Lucy. Her face turned angry as she saw the reason why the love of her life was crying into her chest. She glared, and Lucy looked frightened.

"It was not me," she shocked girl mouthed through the window. "I would never!"

Eleanor looked into Lucinda's eyes, and there she found all the proof she needed. "Then why don't I believe you," Elle mouthed back, turning her head.

"No!" Lucy cried, running into the pastry shop. "No! No! No!"

Benjamin looked up. "Lucy?" he asked quietly. "Lucy…" he said, his voice getting darker. Then his eyes went back to normal. "You are Lucy," he stated, sounding dazed.

Lucy nodded. "Yes! Yes I am! Do you believe I would never do that?"

Benjamin's lip quivered. "No," he muttered, turning back into Eleanor's chest.

Eleanor looked up at Lucy kindly. She figured Lucy was already upset enough without her getting involved. "I think it is best that you go, love."

Lucy nodded. Then she fled, leaving behind the ghost of something she had just whispered. Neither of them heard what it was.

They were too busy wondering why it felt so much better without Lucy being there.


End file.
